King's Meeting With New PM Fuels More Speculation

Saudi King Abdullah met with Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf a few days ago, seeking to solidify relations between the two nations as Saudi troops are being deployed on “training” missions to Pakistan.

The meeting is seemingly just one of many usual and uninteresting meetings, but has fueled more speculation from US policymakers and analysts that the Saudi government is again sending out feelers about the prospect of buying nuclear weapons from Pakistan’s arsenal.

The rumor has been floating around for years, and keeps coming to the surface every once in awhile, with Iran usually blamed for creating the Saudi interest by having a civilian nuclear program of their own.

Interestingly the backstory of Saudi interest has virtually nothing to do with Iran, and include allegations that they tried once to buy nuclear weapons from Saddam Hussein. This failed, presumably, because Saddam didn’t ever actually have any.

But Pakistan does, and has a long-standing defense relationship with the Saudi monarchy. The flurries of speculation, which at times have included claims Pakistan would place their own nukes in Saudi Arabia for or have a couple nukes “set aside” for the Saudis is sure to continue, but which parts are true and which are just wild guesses remain uncertain.

If Saudi Arabia gets nukes (why, when they are under a US nuclear umbrella?) then Iran will certainly go ahead and develop a weapons program

Tom Mauel

Four more U.S. dead in Afghanistan reported by DoD today that makes seven U.S. dead in two days.
And 32 U.S. dead for July and counting. Obama may be withdrawing troops but the war remains red hot.

paulBass

the one thing hereditary monarchy is good at is being able to concern it's self with long term issues.
and whether you buy global peak oil or not, hubbert's curve does apply to a single country that has been thoroughly explored.

Yonatan

The moment Pakistans nukes leave the country is the moment the US pounces.

curmudgeonvt

Maybe if Israel is completely surrounded by nukes they might start to act like a responsible, peaceful neighbor….nah, they've a suicidal streak as wide as the Mediterranean.

★FALCON★

The last thing this world needs is Saudi Arabia with Nukes, Sharia and a Caliphate. Good Lord.

masmanz

The only country that used Nukes on civilians neither had Sharia nor Caliphate. It was a democratically elected government.

Hanussen

So when the next member of the Saudi aristocracy goes rogue, like bin Laden, he'll be packing nukes.

masmanz

It appears to be a made-up news. Having a couple of nukes does not give you any safety, on the contrary, the country will become a target of sanctions and trade embargoes. Saudis know that well and are not going to put themselves into that situation.

Californiadesi

" Nukes" are not for sale Why do Saudis need nukes anyway? to kill more Shites?